How to prepare a booklet for an anniversary or celebration

Decide what the booklet should contain

I first ask who will receive it. A keepsake for guests, a brief history of a company, school, parish or association, and a publication accompanying a ceremony may need different proportions of text and photographs.

Prepare a draft contents list before collecting every available memory and image. It might include a short history, key events, recollections and current activities. I can adapt the layout to the material and agreed extent.

For a short booklet, selection matters. Unedited text can leave little room for photographs. Decide which information is essential and which belongs in a larger publication or an archive.

Supply approved text and clear captions

I need editable text in an agreed order. Check official names, dates, people's names and roles before sending the final material. Information repeated in captions, historical notes and contributor lists should be consistent.

Send photographs as separate files, even if you also place them in Word to suggest their order. Match filenames to captions. Identify the people, places and dates where known; uncertain details should be resolved by you rather than guessed during layout.

For older prints, begin with a good scan of the whole photograph. Keep an unedited version so I can assess the original information. Scanning specifications should reflect the original size and intended use.

Assess older photographs

I offer photo retouching and restoration of old photographs. Basic retouching starts at approximately PLN 10-15 net per image. More demanding restoration requires assessment of the file and an individual quotation.

The result depends on the source material. Detail missing from the source cannot be recreated, so I assess each scan first. After reviewing a scan, I may suggest a smaller reproduction or a different image. Keep source information with the files so that agreed credits can be included correctly.

Organise review and approval

I recommend one coordinator to collect comments from management, staff, members and event organisers. A consolidated response helps resolve conflicting changes before they reach the layout.

My commemorative booklet offer includes two rounds of corrections. Use the first for the collected comments and the next to check the changes. Substantial additions to the material need a separate discussion about scope.

Before approval, check the whole booklet, including the cover, anniversary date, names, captions and image order. Approval should refer to a specific version for printing.

Plan backwards from delivery

Contact me about a month before the event, even if materials are still being gathered. I will discuss when they can be completed and how much time each stage needs. Larger publications or extensive photo restoration require an individual schedule.

The usual 3-4 days for a 16-page booklet cover typesetting after complete materials arrive. They do not include the entire period up to delivery. Allow for review, corrections, approval and production.

Tell me when the copies must arrive, particularly if they need to be packed or distributed before the ceremony. For urgent work, call me to discuss availability and individual pricing.

Indicative costs

Booklet typesetting starts at PLN 70 net per page, with cover preparation from PLN 200 net. Two rounds of corrections are included. Printing, quantity and delivery are agreed individually.

My quotation lists the interior and the cover separately, so tell me whether your page count includes the cover.

Send the text, approximate number of photographs, required delivery date and, if known, format and quantity. I can also arrange printing through trusted partners.